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Page 260 consider that in view of the strength oPage 36poffish that has developed we shall have great difficulty in convincing the House of the merits of this particular cut when there are virtually no reliable costings available, One way of reducing the opposition would be to reduce the cut in the initial subsidy from 4d, to 2d,;. this would cost about £120,000 in a full year,
A concession to the inshore fleet would however certainly produce demands from other sections of the industry for a reduction in the cuts proposed to be made in their case. In particular the Scottish
steam trawler owners have already indicated that they would expect a comparable concession to be made to them.
5.
We shall be glad to have the guidance of our colleagues as to how the situation should be handled. The alternatives seem to us to be
(a) to reduce the proposed cut in the inshore
subsidy from 4d. to 2d. ; or
(b) to stand on the Order as laid.
In either case we suggest that an undertaking should be given that the position will be reviewed in the spring and consideration given to the question of whether the purpose of the 1953 Act can be fulfilled before it expires in 1958.
13th December, 1955.
J.S. D.H.A.
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